The Desert Oracle

17 Edition 1 Issue

facebook.com/AZPVA

www.azpva.org

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5015 N 7th Ave. Suite 2

Phoenix, AZ 85013

Office: (602)-244-9168

Fax: (602) 244-0416 or 1-800-621-9217

Office Hours:

Mon-Fri 8:00am – 4:00pm

Officers

John Tuzzolino President

Gordon Moye Vice President

Leonard Smith Secretary

Dianne Brunswick Treasurer

Board of Directors

Edward Hutchison

Joseph Hamilton

Sue Wudy

Joseph Chitty

National Director

Leonard Smith

Executive Director

Peter R. Quinn

Administrative Assistant

Matthew Jansen

Membership and Volunteer Coordinator

Matthew Jansen

PVA National Service Officer’s

Michael Wilson, Sr. National Service Officer

Diego Suazo, National Service Officer

Jacqueline Berkshire, Senior Secretary

The views expressed in the articles of the Desert Oracle are the opinions of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the AZPVA. Any article not

attributed to an individual / group was compiled with available information by APVA staff/members. The Desert Oracle does encourage our readers to submit

their articles, interests and/or rebuttals.

The Arizona Chapter has a prosthetics Lending

closet. For a small donation you can acquire a power

wheelchair, a manual wheelchair, shower

equipment, aluminum walkers, canes, crutches. We

also have Hoyer Lifts (manual & electric) Do not

hesitate to call the Chapter office if you are in need

of any type of equipment. We may have just what

you need.

Paralyzed Veterans of America

Arizona Chapter

Board of Directors

Notes From Our NSO

G.I.V.E. Program

Veterans Mobility Safety Act a

Big Win

Rollex

Paralyzed Veterans of America

Applauds VA

Schedule of Events PVA Sports

Expectations of President-Elect

Trump’s Selection for VA Secre-

tary

Thank You!

Enemeez Advertisement

Wheel Chair Games Event

Rough Riders

Caregiver Support Program

MXV Advertisement

Wheels Helping Warriors

Membership Report

Birthdays

Attention All Read-

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Notes from our NSO Michael Wilson

Access to Care

When comparing Veteran Service Organizations, Paralyzed Veterans of America

(PVA) leads the way not only by assisting Veterans with Compensation & Pension

benefits, but also in ensuring that all SCI/D Veterans are receiving timely and proper

medical care within the VA Spinal Cord Injury/Disease System of Care. With that

being said, PVA is requesting feedback from our members in regards to any access to

care issues you may be having. We would like to hear from you if you are

experiencing any restrictions to receiving access to care at the SCI/D Center or SCI/D

Clinic. This would include issues such as your ability to receive timely quality health

care, delays in obtaining an appointment, delays in appointments for a particular

procedure, delays in obtaining specific prosthetic equipment and supplies, delays that

resulted in you having to use the Choice Act, and/or denial of care from the VA facility.

If you are experiencing any of the following issues, please contact your local PVA

National Service Officer (NSO) or Veterans Health & Benefits Specialist, who is

compiling a database of reported issues and working to resolve them on your behalf.

Please be ready to give specific details about your experience such as the time, date,

request that was made, and person you spoke with, if possible. We thank you for

your time and involvement with this matter.

You can reach your local service officer: Michael Wilson at 602-627-3311

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They're owed a salute.

And, now it's easier than ever to share one. Through the Paralyzed Veterans of America's

G.I.V.E. Clothing Donation program, service never goes out of style. By dropping off your

used goods in one of our donation drop boxes or by scheduling a pickup - you're saluting

the people who've sacrificed so much in service to this great nation. Your donation is tax

deductible and pickup is FREE.

To schedule a residential pickup, please contact the number listed above for Paralyzed

Veterans of America’s G.I.V.E Clothing Donation program. We are aggressively expanding

this

program, so please continue to check back with us for future listings.

*Sorry we are unable to accept large items such as upholstered furniture, mattresses, box

springs and console TVs.

-Clothing

-CDs

-Shoes, hats, belts

-Ceramics

-Drapes

-Books

-Bedding

-Housewares

Arizona

Phoenix: 623-915-6287

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Page 5 The Desert Oracle Passage of Veterans Mobility Safety Act a Big Win for

Paralyzed Veterans

WASHINGTON, DC—Paralyzed Veterans of America (Paralyzed Veterans) applauds

the passage of H.R. 3471, the Veterans Mobility Safety Act, which has been a top

legislative priority for the organization. The bill will direct the Department of Veterans

Affairs (VA) to develop a comprehensive policy regarding quality standards for

providers who dispense modification services to veterans under the Automobile

Adaptive Equipment Program. The bill also authorizes VA to hire and prescribe

qualifications for hiring hearing aid specialists. H.R. 3471 now goes to the President

for signature.

"Paralyzed Veterans of America is very pleased that quality standards for

adaptive automobile equipment providers will finally be set, helping to ensure

the safety of veterans who use these services provided through the VA," said

Sherman Gillums, Jr., executive director of Paralyzed Veterans.

Several other veterans-related bills were passed by the House yesterday, and now go

to the Senate for consideration. These include H.R. 3286, the Honoring Investments

in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act of 2016, requiring the

Department of Labor to better recognize employers’ efforts to recruit and retain

veteran employees and provide community and charitable services to the veteran

community; H.R. 5600, as amended, the No Hero Left Untreated Act, requiring the VA

to carry out a one-year pilot program to treat veterans with PTSD, TBI, chronic pain,

and opioid addiction or who have experienced military sexual trauma with magnetic

EEG/EKG-guided resonance therapy, which uses stimulation to help restore proper

functioning in the brain; and H.R. 4757, as amended, requiring VA to supply a

headstone, marker or medallion for Medal of Honor recipients buried at private

cemeteries.

"We are pleased to see veterans’ issues being made a top priority by our

legislators and look forward to continuing our efforts in 2017 to make sure that

all veterans are provided with the resources they need to continue with fulfilling

lives after military service," added Gillums.

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The Desert Oracle

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Page 7 Paralyzed Veterans of America Applauds VA for

Granting Full Practice Authority to Advance

Practice Registered Nurses

VA amends regulation, aiming to strengthen clinician corps and increase access to care

Washington, DC—Paralyzed Veterans of America (Paralyzed Veterans) today expressed its

support of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) decision to grant full practice authority to

three roles of its advanced practice registered nurses (APRN): Certified Nurse Practitioners,

Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Certified Nurse Midwives.

"This decision is a significant step forward in providing clinician support for a burdened VA,

and validates the important role of nurses in the VA system of care," said Associate

Executive Director of Medical Services Lana McKenzie. McKenzie, a registered nurse who

practiced in the VA healthcare system for ten years before joining Paralyzed Veterans, is the

organization’s lead advocate for nurses and clinicians within VA Spinal Cord Injury and

disease (SCI/D) units. "By amending the regulations to permit APRNs to practice, more

clinicians are available to focus on providing quality care to our veterans in a more efficient

environment. As we support VA clinicians, we will see less turnover, burnout and low morale

among VA nurses, who are continuously trying to fill in these gaps. This will hopefully bring

relief to appointment bottlenecks, which cause longer wait times."

In September, Paralyzed Veterans brought the burden on nurses to the forefront by penning

an op-ed (read op-ed), which was published by the DC-based Congressional news

publication, The Hill. The piece urged Congress to increase VA funding to hire 1000 more

nurses in SCI/D centers as a critical element to increasing access to care for catastrophically

injured veterans, stating "Congress must fund the 1000-additional-nurses requirement so

that paralyzed veterans who have no private sector alternative get full and timely access to

adequate VA specialized services they need to live and stay healthy."

With a workforce of approximately 93,500 nurses (July 2016 data), VA is the nation’s largest

employer of nurses. Within its nursing corps, there are approximately 5,769 APRNs who will

now be able to fully provide care to veteran patients. "Today’s announcement allows APRNs

to practice to the full extent of their education, training, and certification and, most

importantly, it is aimed at making more efficient use of VA staff capabilities so there are more

clinicians to serve veteran patients. Paralyzed Veterans members are those patients, so we

commend VA for this movement," concluded McKenzie.

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Page 8 The Desert Oracle

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Paralyzed Veterans of America Voices Expectations of

President-Elect Trump’s Selection for VA Secretary

Washington, DC—Paralyzed Veterans of America (Paralyzed Veterans) today remarked on President-Elect Trump’s announcement that he has selected VA Under Secretary of Health David Shulkin to replace Robert McDonald as Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"We commend Secretary McDonald for his willingness to step into the arena after the Phoenix VA scandal. He made great strides in bringing about change against nearly impossible odds. We wish him well in his future endeavors, and we are now looking to the future of veterans’ health care," said Sherman Gillums, executive director of Paralyzed Veterans of America. "As the incoming secretary, Dr. Shulkin will certainly have his own priorities, which Paralyzed Veterans of America will support, as long as they are in the best interest of our members and all veterans who served our country. His experience as under secretary for health should ensure continuity in improving health care for veterans as the scope of his responsibility broadens. Dr. Shulkin fully understands our priorities and what we expect of VA’s senior leaders, so we’re not starting from square one. We look forward to working with him and the new administration.

President-elect Trump expressed confidence in Dr. Shulkin's qualifications for the position, stating: "He will do a truly great job."

Dr. Shulkin was confirmed as the VA Under Secretary of Health in June 2015, and has oversight of more than 1,700 VA healthcare sites across the United States. In this position, he has worked with Paralyzed Veterans’ leadership, and has been a guest speaker at numerous events to open the lines of communication about the priorities and needs of veterans receiving specialized care in the VA’s spinal cord injury centers.

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Van Donated to the Arizona Chapter of

Paralyzed Veterans of America. Thank you

for this kind donation. Picture on left is of

Leonard Smith the Grateful recipient of this

donation.

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Co-Presented by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the National Veterans

Wheelchair Games (NVWG) is a rehabilitation and wheelchair sports program empowering Veterans with spinal cord inju-

ries, multiple sclerosis, amputations and other neurological injuries to live more active and healthy lives through wheel-

chair sports and recreation.

Each summer, Veterans from across the United States, including a team from Great Britain, travel to a new community

hosting the NVWG. During the week, Veterans compete in 18 wheelchair sports events while providing encouragement

and mentoring for new Veterans. Veterans at the Games truly educate newly disabled Veterans on what is possible and

those witnessing the events realize that limitations are only state of mind.

Who Can Participate?

Any Veteran with a Spinal Cord Injury, Multiple Sclerosis, Amputation or other neurological injury that uses wheelchair

for sport, and, must be eligible for care in the VA.

Paralyzed Veterans of America/Department of Veterans Affairs Partnership

Since 1985, Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Department of Veterans Affairs have joined forces to work collabora-

tively to organize and execute the NVWG. This partnership enables the strengths of both organizations to come together

to make the NVWG one of the largest annual wheelchair sports programs and truly a world class event!

Taking the partnership to the next level… This is not just a one week experience… VA Rehabilitation Programs and Para-

lyzed Veterans of America chapters across the country work to empower Veterans to be more active and healthy in their

daily lives by getting them involved in sports and recreation programs highlighting fitness, social networking, and com-

munity involvement. Sports and recreation reinforce critical values necessary for health while combating the risk of iso-

lation, depression, and other factors associated with health. That is what the Games are about!

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Page 13 The Desert Oracle

A MOTORCYCLE CLUB DEDICATED TO VETERANS AND VETERANS CAUSES

Rough Riders Motorcycle ClubTM is a traditional motorcycle club. As a member of the motorcycle community, we are respectful of all and affiliated with none. The Rough Riders Motorcycle ClubTM is dedicated to veterans’ causes and POW/MIA issues and awareness. Our mission is to support all veterans, veteran groups, and veteran hospitals. Our club is composed of veterans from Vietnam through current conflicts and has many Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard personnel. Our motorcycle club is not just made up of veterans. Non-Veterans who share our values and goals are welcome - but cannot exceed 20 percent of our total club membership. We welcome all that are interested in veterans or POW/MIA issues and can contribute something to our club and cause. Prospective members must be sincere and devoted to helping veterans in some form. The original Rough Riders Motorcycle Club TM members were members of a California chapter of an East Coast veteran’s motorcycle club. In 1992 ten members splintered off and formed their own club. They carefully followed the protocol of asking all the other surrounding clubs if they had any problems with the name, colors, and purpose - none objected. We have chapters in Northern America and in the foreign lands of Okinawa, Japan, Germany, Korea, and the Persian Gulf. The club’s current membership numbers are kept a secret, but the club continues to grow. As one of the Co-Founders once said, "We're growing because there are a

lot of bikers out there who care, and are supportive of veterans' rights."

The “Papago Chapter” of the Rough Riders Motorcycle Club TM in the past has supported the Carl T. Hayden Veteran’s Administration Retirement/Care Home, The Luke Air Force Base “Hearts Apart” program, the U.S. Veteran’s Initiative of Phoenix, The Horse Rhythm Foundation and other veterans

organizations. Our current mission is supporting Paralyzed Veterans of America (Arizona Chapter).

The Rough Riders Motorcycle Club TM is a Veterans Motorcycle Club dedicated to Veterans’ causes and POW/MIA issues and awareness. The RRMC is designated a Public Charity under Internal Revenue Code 509 (a)(2) by the IRS and is Tax Exempt under Internal Revenue Code 501 (c)(3). Our EIN is 20-2739186 and DLN is 17053047020017. All contributions made to the RRMC are Tax Exempt and deductible under section 170 of the Code. Gifts made to the RRMC are Tax Deductible under section 2055, 2106, or 2522 of the Code.

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The Desert Oracle

"I am related to everyone."

RESTORE

The individual or family unit through complete wrap around services and support.

RENEW

A sense of hope, balance, and purpose through a customized therapeutic plan

utilizing holistic and conventional modalities on the farm.

GROW

Physical, mental, and emotional well-being through hands on experiences that nurture

social skills, problem solving, and independence; maximizing potential and a sense of belonging and

community.

GIVE

To the local community through the produce and services offered on the farm.

For more information on this program,

please contact :

Erika Green at

480-393-0870 or

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Page 15 The Desert Oracle

Paralyzed Veterans of America is making it easier than ever to give back through Wheels Helping Warriors, a vehicle

donation program that raises funds to help provide veterans access to free

employment counseling, benefits assistance, advocacy, adaptive sports and recreation programs, and much more.

Every vehicle has value. Regardless of the condition, your donated vehicle will sell at auction and

proceeds will fund a lifetime of support for seriously injured veterans and their families. Paralyzed

Veterans of America’s Wheels Helping Warriors vehicle donation program will gratefully accept the following vehicles:

It’s simple to give: Be sure you have vehicle title, fill out the online form below or call a Paralyzed

Veterans Wheels Helping Warriors vehicle donation representative at 1-866-841-2023 to schedule a FREE pickup. The

average pickup time is 24-48 hours from the time of your request. Even if your

vehicle doesn’t run, we will accept your donation. You may even earn a tax break too!

Once your vehicle has been sold, we’ll send you a receipt for your tax records and the sale of the

Airplanes

Motorcycles

Boats

RVs/campers

Cars

Semi-tractors

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 Martin

Luther King

Jr. Day

16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30 31

January 2017

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MEMBERSHIP REPORT from

The Arizona Chapter

The Arizona Chapter voting membership stands at 491 as of January 2017.

National and AZPVA records show our voting membership as:

259- Service Connected 232- Non-Service Connected

The Arizona Chapter encourages each of our members to contact the Chapter and let us know how you are

doing, and if we can help you in any way. If you know of any of our members who have passed away, or if

you have an address/phone change, please contact the Chapter as soon as possible. Also, if you would like

to receive the Desert Oracle Newsletter by e-mail, please call or e-mail the office with your e-mail address.

Do you know a veteran with spinal cord dysfunction who isn’t a member of the AZPVA?

Each Referral is eligible for a 50 dollar gift card after verification of application

Let us know at the Chapter office by calling

602-244-9168 or 1-800-621-9217

e-mail: azpva@azpva.org

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14

Valentines day

15Board of

directors

meeting

16 17 18

19 20

Presidents Day

21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28

February 2017

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Please have someone contact our

Chapter office in the event of a member’s

death so that we can

inform other member’s who might wish to pay

their respects to the

departed.

. None Reported

Deceased Members

Donald Woodward

Kathleen A. Lake

Richard T. Kanthak

William R. Lambert

Milton T. Scott

Francis D. Bessette

Joseph A. DiMeco

Bernard E. Hixson

Gregory A. Ward

Kenneth A. Huckans

John M. Gardner

James N. Finney

Donald G. Thomas

Willard M. Bales

James A. Escobar

Richard Bead, Sr.

Daniel K. Rosso

Jose A. Dastas

King O. Houston

David D. Carlson

Nathan S. Junker

Jeffrey D. Malm

Robert G. Schmidt

Michael J. Haase

Kenneth E. Perry

Michael J. Osolnik

Reymundo Chavez

Reynaldo Romero

Arnold J. Gustafson

Tyson W. Sullins

Margaret E. Dixon

Juan C. Sanchez

Larry Moses

Lester O. Ackerman

Edward J. Drews

Hartvig E. Holmberg, III

Shelia F. Sessions

Edwin O. Nick

Ronny Sims

John E. Short, Sr.

Allen C. Berryhill

Gregory Runkel

Brenda A. Way

John R. Makin

Gayle R. Scott (Hedin)

Tommy R. Brooks

Stephen D. Knode

Billy J. Moore

Charles J. Newbold

Bobby D. James

Edward C. Noriega

Francisco Concepcion

Charles C. Hudson

Howard D. Deatherage,

Jr.

Thomas S. Heesch

Terry J. Forcier

Michael A. Gaita

James J. Huff

Matthew R. Winters

David N. Ferrazzi

Michael D. Hays

Michael J. Berry

Ernest "Burt" B. Buxton

Joseph E. Stanislawski

Keith M. Jacobsen

Lawrence F. Celano

George J. Sheehan, Jr

January February